History

Mari State University is a Russian state multi-disciplinary classical university, a major educational and scientific center of the Republic of Mari El and the Volga Federal District.

On May 4^th, 1971, the Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the RSFSR, V.N. Stoletov, signed an order on the organization of a university in Yoshkar-Ola, aimed to fill the acute shortage of personnel for the intensively developing leading sectors of the national economy of the republic: industry, construction and agriculture.

Already in December, the MarSU structure was approved consisting of the Faculty of History and Philology, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, Faculty of Agriculture, preparatory department, 17 departments, research sector, 40 classrooms and laboratories. The training was planned to be conducted in 10 study areas. At the same time, the construction of academic buildings and a residential building for teachers began.

1 September 1971 – the University opens its doors to the students of the Faculty of Agriculture. One year later, students from other faculties began their studies. In December 1971, the preparatory department was opened. In January 1972, the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Mari Pedagogical Institute was transferred to MarSU and transformed into the Faculty of Biology and Chemistry.

25 November 1972 – the opening ceremony was held.

In 1985-1998, Mari State University developed as a large classical university. Qualitative changes have taken place in all areas of activity.

A landmark event for the university was the opening of a postgraduate school in 1990 for the training of scientific and pedagogical staff. The number of specialties increased from year to year: in 1993 – 18; in 1998 – 37.

In 1992, a doctoral program was opened in three specialties.

During the period from 1994 to 1998, the amount of funding for research activities increased by more than 10 times.

The following period, from 1998-2007, was characterized by the steady development of the classical university education and it is associated with the activities of the rector of the university, Professor V.I. Makarov.

The University is a recognized center of Finno-Ugrian studies, which forms friendly relations between peoples, countries and states. Occupying a leading position in the world of Finno-Ugric studies, the university has established particularly close contacts with Finno-Ugric scientific and educational centers. Mari State University is one of the founders of the Association of Finno-Ugric Universities.

In 2008, Mari State University entered a new stage of its development, when it merged with the Mari State Pedagogical Institute named after N.K. Krupskaya.

In 2010, the Mari Agricultural College joined the university and a branch of the university was established on its basis.

Rector's Office of Mari State University from 1971- till present:

• Viktor Eduardovich Kolla;
• Petr Alekseevich Sokolov;
• Victor Pavlovich Ivshin;
• Vitaly Ivanovich Makarov;
• Mikhail Nikolaevich Shvetsov.

Today, Mari State University is a recognized center of education, science and culture. It has 9 faculties, 6 institutes, 55 departments, about 10 thousand students, a highly professional team of professors, teachers and researchers, numbering 532 teachers, including 66 doctors of sciences and 37 professors, 325 candidates of sciences and 227 associate professors.